Bicycle seats, or saddles, have traditionally been designed with a convex profile such that they fit between the body's ischial tuberosities ("sit bones") with a small protrusion tucked up in the crotch.
Prior bicycle seats cause saddle-related numbness in both male and female riders. This numbness results from pressure on perineal areas which can actually increase as riders sink farther into traditional seats.
In female riders, the arch of the pubic symphysis is shallow. Sitting on traditional bicycle seats can compress tender genital tissues against the seat causing irritation to the genitals.
In male riders, the crotch area of the body contains nerves and pudendal arteries leading to the penis. These arteries carry blood flow that enables erection. Sitting on traditional bicycle seat can increase the pressure in the pudendal arteries causing a decrease in blood flow. This decrease in blood flow may cause numbness potentially leading to impotency in certain male bicycle riders. Therefore, it is desirable to have a seat with a construction that is designed to eliminate these problems.